🧵 In Today’s Edition

1. Two used bookstores—one old, one new—offer eclectic finds for Greensboro’s literary enthusiasts.
2. The Agenda
3. What We’re Reading

Turning Pages

Since the secondhand store McKay’s relocated to Mebane last year, used books have been harder to come by in Greensboro. But on the opposite ends of Spring Garden Street, two used bookstores—one old and one new—are anchoring the landscape of well-worn and well-loved works.

For decades, the number of independent bookstores fell by about 40% between the mid-90s and 2009, according to the American Booksellers Association. Digital readers and online retailers, like Amazon, changed the book-buying landscape and threatened the future of physical stores. But that’s changing.

There was a 31% increase in bookstores in the U.S. last year, according to the ABA’s 2024 annual report. Most of those were physical storefronts. 

“Used bookstores are just cooler,” said Julie Wade, the owner of The Second Hand Book, which opened last month. “You can find, I don’t know, bizarre things.”

Read the full story here.

— Sayaka Matsuoka

Thanks for reading The Thread, a 3x week newsletter written by Greensboro editor Joe Killian and reporters Sayaka Matsuoka and Gale Melcher. Reach us with tips or ideas at greensboro@theassemblync.com.

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The Agenda

The days leading up to the holidays are speeding by, but local governments aren’t slowing down. This week, Greensboro’s new city councilmembers will cast their first votes on agenda items, there’s a party at the Depot, and Guilford County’s Board of Commissioners and High Point City Council are holding their regular meetings. 

City of Greensboro

Planning and Zoning Commission meeting
Monday, December 15, at 5:30 p.m. @ Melvin Municipal Office Building in the Katie Dorsett Council Chamber, 300 W. Washington St.

This meeting will include public hearings and final decisions on 11 zoning cases.

City Council meeting
Tuesday, December 16, at 5:30 p.m. @ Melvin Municipal Office Building in the Katie Dorsett Council Chamber, 300 W. Washington St.

This meeting will include a public comment period where each speaker will have three minutes to address the council. However, the period will be limited to 30 minutes. Previously, and up until the most recent meeting with an opportunity for public comment (November 10), there was no such policy. 

The council will make decisions regarding:

  • Naming December 21, 2025, as National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day.
  • Selling 734 S. Elm St. to the Alexander Companies, which will develop 148 apartments, 29,000 square feet for a future retailer, and 149 public parking spaces.
  • A $3.1 million contract with Bar Construction Company to renovate the Greensboro Coliseum’s special events center, including upgraded finishes and lighting throughout the lobby and meeting rooms, upgraded plumbing fixtures and toilet accessories to the main toilet facilities, and the addition of a new glass elevator.
  • Approving a five-year $409,278 contract with Selectron Technologies to upgrade the Water Resources Department’s interactive voice response system that allows customers to make payments via phone 24 hours a day.

Rider Holiday Appreciation and Public Information meeting
Wednesday, December 17, at 6 p.m. @ J. Douglas Galyon Depot, 236 East Washington St.

This is the Greensboro Transit Agency’s quarterly meeting to share information with riders and get feedback, followed by their annual Holiday Rider Appreciation Event with free cookies, cider, candy canes, music, and a visit from St. Nick.

City Council audit meeting
Thursday, December 18 at 10:30 a.m. @ Melvin Municipal Office Building in the Legislative Conference Room, 300 W. Washington St.

The agenda will be posted here.

Guilford County 

Board of Commissioners meeting
Thursday, December 18, at 5:30 p.m. @ Old County Courthouse on the second floor,  301 W. Market St.

The agenda is posted here.

City of High Point

City Council meeting
Monday, December 15, at 5:30 p.m. @ 211 S. Hamilton St.

Here’s the meeting’s agenda.

Links to local board meetings and agendas:

Guilford County – Board of Commissioners

Guilford County – Board of Education

Greensboro – City Council

Greensboro – City Calendar

High Point – City Council

What We’re Reading

New Collaboration: The Greensboro Community Safety Department and Greensboro Police Department announced a new violence prevention group late last week. The Greensboro Collaborative Action Network (GSO CAN) will bring together institutional leaders and community members to work toward creating violence prevention solutions. The News & Record has more.

Kids OTTER Be Reading Better: A former teacher is using 3-D printing to create an interactive tile-based system to help children learn to read better. The OTTER Reading system helps students learn the names, sounds, and formations of letters. NC Health News has more.

A Posthumous Honor: N.C. A&T State University honored graduates at this weekend’s commencement ceremony—including a degree for Ceyani Pratt, a student who died of a rare cancer in August. Fox8 talked with Pratt’s mother to talk about her daughter and the posthumous honor the school.

Joe Killian is The Assembly's Greensboro editor. He joined us from NC Newsline, where he was senior investigative reporter. He spent a decade at The News & Record covering cops and courts, higher education, and government.

Gale is a Report for America corps member and Greensboro-based reporter for The Assembly. She previously covered local government and community issues for Triad City Beat. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from N.C. State University.

Sayaka Matsuoka is a Greensboro-based reporter for The Assembly. She was formerly the managing editor for Triad City Beat, an alt-weekly based in Greensboro. She has reported for INDY Week, The Bitter Southerner, and Nerdist, and is the editorial/diversity chair for AAN Publishers.